Merry Christmas, Regina
by moonlightfall
Summary: No one ever gave Regina a gift to Christmas. Why would that change now on Granny's christmas pajama party in the diner? Because now Regina has someone who loves her and who does everything in her power to make this day unforgettable for Regina. /Fluff / Pre-SQ /


**Just a quick one-shot:)**

**That's after Zelena but without the time portal thing and without Robin Hood. Emma is not together with Hook. **

**Pre-SQ :)**

**Don't own OUAT :(**

"Come on, Mom... Wouldn't want to be late!" Henry said and Regina smiled. She stuffed the last gift in her little purse which she had magically made bigger but so that it still looked like the small purse. She quickly followed her son with her sleeping bag and they drove to the diner. To be honest. Regina was scared. She never had been invited to a christmas party. Well, she never really had been invited to anything. She sighed. She probably would sit alone the whole time and then went to bed to sit alone the next day again and then finally be allowed home again. She was just going there because Henry wanted her to come. They entered the diner and Ruby smiled at them brightly. She led them upstairs and they chose their beds. It was a group room where everyone would probably sleep and Regina cursed her decision again. She hated being around people constantly.

Ruby studied Regina. "Where are your presents for the others?" She asked and Regina lifted her purse. "I enchanted it so that it still looks small." Regina explained and Ruby opened her mouth surprised. Regina opened the purse and showed Ruby the inside. "Wow..." She mumbled. "That's smart..." "Thanks..." Regina answered and blushed. "I...I just thought that the others shouldn't see their presents until tomorrow." Ruby nodded with a smile. "Anyway. Make your bed ready and then come downstairs. We need help in the kitchen and I know you can cook." Ruby said and Regina smiled slightly. She nodded and with a flick of her wrist the bed was presentable. She followed Ruby to the kitchen where Granny was standing. "Hello, Regina." Granny said. "Hello, Miss Lucas..." Regina answered and entered the kitchen. She looked at all the things which already were prepared and she sighed.

"What? Not the things you like or what?" Granny asked slightly hurt. "No... I can't eat any of this... but that's because of an allergy..." Regina answered and turned to her. "Well... my mother brought that onto me... she rather cursed me... I can't eat sweets... it would kill me..." Regina explained and Granny looked at her shocked. "But that's just dessert." Granny said. "It still has a lot of sugar and everything..." Regina answered and Granny sighed. "I'm sorry..." She said and Regina shrugged. "It's alright. I ate sweets just once and I don't miss it..." Regina told Granny and looked at the pot on the oven. "Some stew." Granny explained and Regina nodded slowly. "How can I help?" She asked Granny. "Make your lasagna. I hope I have every ingredient." Granny told her and Regina nodded.

Afterwards when all guests arrived they carried the food to the huge table in the diner and they sat down. Regina was sandwiched between Emma to her right and Henry to her left. Everyone talked happily except for Regina. No one talked to Regina and she didn't wanted to interrupt other people with joining their conversation. She looked on her plate and moved her lasagna around. Emma saw that and nudged her. "What's up?" She asked and Regina looked at her. "Nothing. Why?" Regina answered and Emma sighed. "You know that I know when you are lying and you just did. You look sad... Shouldn't you be happy? You can celebrate Christmas with your family." Emma said and Regina shook her head. "I'm celebrating Christmas with a group of people who don't like me, your family and my son...that's now how I imagine Christmas." Regina answered and got up.

She walked upstairs and threw herself on her bed. She couldn't be there anymore. When would people finally forgive her? She just wanted their forgiveness. And if they wouldn't give her that then at least them being nice to her. She didn't need them to do anything for her but a small smile... it would mean the world to her. Regina sat up again and magicked herself a book before she started reading it. Emma entered the room and sat down on the bed. "They don't hate you..." Emma said and Regina snorted. "How much do you bet that tomorrow morning not even one present is laying under this tree for me? One they thought about if it would be a good present for me. One they didn't bought last minute because they are scared that I unleash my wrath?" Regina said and Emma looked down. "I'm here because of Henry and receiving no presents is alright for me... all I want is them to actually enjoy my presence at least once..."

"I do." Emma said and Regina sighed. "One is simply not enough, Emma..." Regina told her and then turned back to her book. "So, you'll hide her until tomorrow or what?" Emma asked and Regina shook her head. "I'll come back later..." She told Emma who nodded and went back to the others. Regina sighed. She read for half an hour when a few people came back up again. She went downstairs and helped cleaning everything before she sat down with a coffee and drank it. She watched Henry playing some games with his friends and smiled slightly. At least he had friends with whom he could enjoy the day. Emma sat down in front of her and smiled. "You really came back." Emma said and Regina nodded. "I needed a bit time." Regina answered and sipped again. Emma squeezed her hand and they started to actually have a great conversation.

They laughed, they were serious, they were sad, they were happy for the other. It was getting late and everyone went to bed. Regina laid in bed and looked around. No one was standing up and so she quickly grabbed her purse and walked to the toilet. She poofed herself downstairs and kneeled in front of the Christmas tree. She smiled saddened. "Hey..." She mumbled. "Here we are again... me placing my presents for others underneath you... maybe this time you have something underneath for me too... I know I shouldn't be hoping but I do... every year I do..." Regina placed her presents under the tree and looked at it a last time. She poofed herself back up and fake washed her hands before she left the toilet and went to bed. Sleep didn't come easy to her and throughout the night she watched a lot of people stealing themselves downstairs to arrange their presents.

Regina fell asleep for 3 hours before it was 6am and she got up regularly. She looked around. No one was awake and maybe just maybe someone had put something underneath the tree for her. She stole herself downstairs and looked at all the presents. She didn't spotted her name and her heart crumpled slightly. She made coffee and then sat by the window and watched the snow falling on the street, covering it in a thick white sheet. She leaned against the chair and sighed. Christmas was always like this and she couldn't help but feel hurt this time. Soon the children were all downstairs and on their way to the tree when they spotted Regina. "Uh... hello, Miss Mills." They all said sheepishly and Regina smiled slightly. "Good Morning." She answered and spotted Henry. "Merry Christmas, Mom." He said and walked over to her. "Merry Christmas, Henry." She answered and hugged him.

The parents and other people came down too after the harsh waking up attack of the children and they all drank a bit of the coffee. Granny smiled at everyone when she came downstairs and clapped in her hands. "First food or first the presents?" She asked them and the children all screamed. "Presents!" The adults smiled and nodded then. Granny walked to the presents and took the first one. She called out names and the people took their presents. Regina knew that not even once her name would be called and so she sat back and waited for this hell to end. Henry brought his presents to her so that she could watch over them while he got more. Soon the last present was handed out and everyone started unpacking. Regina had to grit her teeth to not make snarky comments or anything like that. She focused only on Henry and how happy he was with his presents.

"Mom, what did you get?" Henry asked and Regina looked in her coffee. "Nothing." She answered and Henry opened his mouth shocked. "But...why? That's unfair... no... unfair doesn't even describes this... it's mean... you work hard to redeem yourself and no one gives you presents?" Henry was confused and everyone went silent. "It's alright, Henry... Really. I don't need presents. And I rather have no presents than pity presents which are just given with the thought of me not getting angry..." Regina said and everyone looked down. "If you would excuse me now." She stood up and walked to the restroom. She locked herself in a stall and then let her tears free. She cried for not being loved enough to have presents. She cried for everyone forgetting about her. Or her feelings. She cried because she had to be strong such a long time and finally every resource was ended and she had nothing left to make herself strong again.

A few minutes later she wiped her tears away and magicked her face tearless before she left the restroom again and walked upstairs. She dressed into her normal things and undid her bed. Emma came into the room and stopped her. They sat down together and Emma sighed. "I'm really sorry, Regina... what fascinates me is that you are handling this pretty good..." Emma said and a few people listened to them in secret. "I never received any presents from my parents or anyone else... so I don't really know what I'm missing out... it's a bit hurting that the others didn't bought me something but it's alright... I couldn't have expected it from them. They don't know me or what I like..." Regina told her and Emma wrapped and arm around her. "That was my problem... I didn't knew what to give you... but I heard from Henry that you always wanted to visit the Time Square and that's what you are going to do. Whenever you want, I'll drive you there." Emma said and Regina smiled softly at Emma.

"Thank you." She answered quietly and Emma kissed her head softly. "You're welcome." Emma told her and they stayed like this for a long time. Regina got stiff and got up. "My back hurts... sorry... I'm going now... bring Henry whenever you want." Regina said to Emma who nodded. They walked downstairs and were a bit shocked when everyone already left. "Maybe they are building a snowman in the back of the diner." Emma said and Regina shrugged. "I'm going home now." She answered and Emma nodded. She watched Regina walking home and quickly made her way back into the diner. In a hidden room Gold and the others waited and together they poofed to Regina's home. They quickly put their presents underneath the tree and then hid in the study. They didn't had to wait long until Regina entered her house and walked to her bedroom. She changed into her pjs and then made her way to the living room with a book.

They heard how the book crashed on the ground when Regina spotted the presents and then hurried steps. Regina fell on her knees in front of the tree and grabbed a present. "For Regina..." She read out quietly and gasped. She pulled the next present towards her and the same was on it. She looked at every present and everywhere was Regina on it. She started crying and hugged a present close to her. The heart of the townspeople broke when they heard how sad it sounded. Then they heard how paper was ripped and how Regina gasped again when she saw what was in there. They were surprised when they heard how fast the other presents were unpacked and how Regina was struck with awe. They heard how she left the room and quickly opened the door and entered the living room. They saw that Regina had put the presents on the couches and the papers were on the ground.

Regina entered the room and gasped surprised when she saw everyone standing there. Emma smiled at her softly and stepped forwards. "Merry Christmas, Regina." She said and Regina hugged her tightly. She cried into Emma's shoulder and Emma held her tightly against herself and calmed her down slowly. "Merry Christmas, Emma." Regina answered and wiped her tears away. "Thank you... for... for the presents." Regina said to the group and studied all the presents again. The others smiled. "Gold told us that you never received any gifts from anyone and... and we found that sad and unfair towards you...it's... it's a way to say 'thank you for constantly saving our ass with your reckless suicide missions you somehow always survive'." Ruby explained and Regina had to smile slightly. "They are not reckless suicide missions..." Regina mumbled and Emma nudged her. "They are. For example the trigger. You wanted to die for us just so we all can escape to somewhere safe." Emma said.

Regina looked down. "I... I just... did what good people would do..." Regina said and everyone shook their head. "No. That's what brave people do for the people they care about. You are one of the bravest people I know... I think... you are the bravest... there is no one braver than you... and we are lucky that you are brave. We are glad that you are here and we know that you would never have showed us so much enthusiasm if we would have given you your presents at the diner. You just don't feel safe there and that's fine with us... because after all the times you saved our asses it's time for us to pay you back for that. So enjoy your presents. They are from heart. They are well thought about. Most of them were thinking since summer about your present. Some of us directly knew what to give you. And no the trip to New York is not the only thing from me." Emma said and smiled. She revealed a huge present and Regina took it and sat down when she felt how heavy it was.

She opened the lit and in the box a small golden retriever puppy was sitting there and looked up at her with adorable brown eyes. She lifted the dog out of the box and hugged it to her chest. She smiled brightly and looked at Emma. "How did you know that I wanted a Goldie?" She asked and kissed the puppy's head. "You had a dream in Neverland and you said 'Thank you... I like this one but I rather want that goldie.' I didn't understood at first what you meant with that until one day I stumbled over a pregnant Goldie dog and realized that you call them Goldies." Emma said and Regina blushed. "It's a boy by the way." Regina smiled and looked at the puppy. "Shadow..." She whispered and the puppy barked happily. Regina giggled and hugged him again. The group awed and Emma smiled. "Merry Christmas..."

**The End:)**


End file.
